The (unnecessary?) Right to Disconnect.

What is The Right to Disconnect?

Image cred: Depositphotos

The new legislation states an employer should refrain from reaching out to an employee beyond their designated work hours, except in the case of an emergency. It will also stop employers from penalising employees who don't reply to calls, emails, or texts sent outside of their regular working hours.

The Right to Disconnect is promising to banish the digital invasion and rescue us from the burnout we feel from being ‘always on’.

Is it really necessary?

Availability creep is a real thing, but are we actually handling it alright ourselves without the sheriff stepping in?

Despite the growing flexible movement and ever-present temptation of digital devices, it seems like we're not doing too shabby, according to a recent survey within our network

When asked: Do you feel like you have the 'right to disconnect' and only respond to emails and calls from your employer during work hours, a clear majority of 64% of respondents said yes, they already do feel like they have the right to tackle work-related stuff only during their designated hours.

And this is an interesting point – 26% actually enjoy being connected and available after hours. They might see it as a way to stay on top of things and in control, playing a sort of Whac-A-Mole with comms or work tasks.

Which left 11% of respondents who feel like they don’t have the right to disconnect, highlighting an issue in the workforce that definitely does need to be addressed.

But before we rush to legislate, wouldn’t it be a wise decision to consider the bigger picture? 

A valid concern about The Right to Disconnect

Will imposing this strict, specific, and potentially unnecessary rule upset the delicate balance that many employees have worked hard to establish with their employers?

Introducing the legislation could tilt the power scale towards employees, which might unsettle employers who are already grappling with the complexities of remote work and hybrid teams.

What’s the alternative?

Instead of solely relying on blanketed laws which might or might not have the desired impact for a minority of individuals, we should take a more holistic approach.

Let's focus on education, communication, and mutual respect in the workplace. Open discussions about expectations for after-hours availability, along with solid systems for managing workloads and promoting work-life balance, are key to navigating this tricky terrain.

We’re curious…

Do you already feel like you have the right to disconnect outside of your working hours? What impact do you think this new legislation will have? Let's keep the conversation going.